RTV silicone presently is the preeminent material in forming vehicle power train seals that include oil pan-, valve cover- and transmission pan-seals. RTV silicone supplanted cork and felt in these applications due to the ease of application and superior oil resistance. Further, the tack of RTV silicones allows one to position two surfaces to be joined, leaving one's hands free to insert fasteners to secure seal surfaces. Further, RTV silicone forms seals that need not be torque adjusted to the same extent as sheet-based seal materials.
RTV silicone has developed over the years to increase adhesive properties and oil resistance. These enhanced properties have led to service lifetimes for some RTV silicones in excess of 100,000 miles of vehicle usage. However, the adhesion properties of RTV silicones have increased to the point that removal of a silicone gasket often destroys or damages vehicle components in the process. Flange surfaces often become distorted, scratched or gouged during the seal removal process thereby making a new seal less reliable. Thus, there exists a need for an RTV silicone that affords the same joint movement and oil resistance of conventional RTV silicones with the property of shear adhesion values of 50 pounds per square inch or less.